The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1887-06-01
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Notes on the Lesson for June s.
"The Mamma"

welve verses OF the sixteenth chapter OF
Exodus. Time, b c. l49l, soon after the
vents of last lesson (see v. ~ Place, in the
northern part of the Wilderness Of Sin, be-
ween Elm and Sinai
SPECIAL MENTION.
WILDERNESS Of Sin The place Of this en-
,ampment was near tho plain of Ras Zelimeh,
reached by traversing Wady Taiyibeh, egh-
cen miles from Elm The route from this
,ncampment to Sinai, as well as the situation
Of the Wilderness of Sin, Is disputed % III
from this encampment the lsraelites went
south by the narrow road along the sea,
open only at the ebb of the tide, they came
INTO plain extending along the shore of the
sea for twenty-five miles, called at It's south
ern part El-Gaah, in its northern El-Murkhah,
from the lower end of which there is road
10 Sinai through the Wadies Feiran and Es-
Shek El-Murkhah, according TO Robinson,
kurZ Stanley, Palmer, and many others, is
the Wilderness of Sin. But GU according to
other scholars, an inland route was taken;
leading from the encampment on the Red Sea
and passing through several wadies to Deb
bet or Ramleh, which is a sandy plateau lying
between Elm aud Sinai, and 80 correspond
ing with the description of the Wilderness of
SIM" prof. Harper)
Mamma So named from the exclamation
Of the Israelites, Man-hu. "What is it?" While
in some respects, yet the points of difference
are very marked, and plainly disprove the
Identification of the two. Those differences
Todd has classified as follows: Ql The whole
mamma crop of the entire peninsula OF Sinai
is not more than seven hundred pounds an
uually; whereas the mama of the Israelites
fell In sufficient quantities to support two
millions or more of people. ca The
mama of to-day is not certain crop,
but often fails for four or five years con
secutively; but the mamma of the Israelites
fell regularly for forty years Deut 8: 2,
8; Josh v. 1912. C3) The mamma of to-day
can be gathered for about two months only;
whereas the mamma of the Israelites fell the
year round. The Scriptural statements,
however, do not necessarily imply that the
mamma always fell in the same immense guam
titles, or in any larger amounts than were
necessary to make up for the deficiency in
other kinds of food az The mama of to-day
is found, in the peninsula of Sinai, only in the
neighborhood of the mountains of Sinai,
under or near the tamarisk-trees; whereas
the mama OF the Israeltes continued to
fall long after they had passed entirely out
of this region, and even after they
had crossed the Jordan, and entered the
land of Canaan Josh. 81 10-1D. (5) The man
ma of the Israelites could be ground in mills,
pounded in mortars, baked in cakes in pans,
or seethed ". %; Mum IL: -, showing that it
was largely farinaceous; whereas the mamma
of to-day has no starch IN 1t, but Is purely
saccharine, and therefore can not be subjected
TO the same processes. (6) The mamma of the
Israehtes could not be kept more than one day
w. 2O), with the exception of that which was
gathered on the sixth day, which could
be kept for two days iva. %, 2G, and
tina. which was preserved in the ark per-
petually ". 80; Heb. o. 4)-circum-
stances evidently involving the miracu-
lous; but there is no difficulty in keeping the
mamma of to-day for years Other things also
point TO the miraculous nature of the mama
of the Israeltes. The ordinary product of ma
ture cannot but have been well known to the
Israelites; or, if not, they would have found
1t, and become acquainted with its qualities
gradually; but the first fall of mama
created in them the greatest astonish-
mont ". 15); and the fall of mama began
". ~ and ceased Josh. 5: ~ abruptly
And Canon Cook farther comments as
follows: In the appearance of the mama
we have all the conditions and character
lstics of divine interpositons on The con-
dltlon of recognized necessity; for all wri-
tiers agree that under any conceivable crcum-
stances the preservation of the Israelites
would otherwise have been impossible. C2)
The condition of harmony with divine
purpose the preservation of peculiar people
on which the whole scheme of providential
government and the salvation of mankind de-
pended () We have the usual characters
tics of harmony between the natural order of
events and the supernatural transaction. God
fed his people, not with the food which be-
longed to other regions, but with such as ap-
pertained to the district The local coloring is
unmistakable.
CONNECTING LINK
After leaving the Red sea the Israelites
went out INTO the wilderness of Shur three
days journey, finding no water Coming to
Marah, whose waters were bitter, they were
shown "A tree which, by casting il into the
waters, made them sweet Thence they
came to Elim where were twelve wells of
water and seventy palm trees, making a
suitable encampment for them AS soon az
they began to pass through the Wilderness Of
SIN their food fell short causing them TO
murmur. 1t is often asked, "How did the
Israelites, with their vast herds, subsist in
the wildernessg" The answer to this is ready
First, their cattle, OF which they had great
abundance, while they needed large regions
for grazing, furnished the people with milk,
butter, and meat From Deut 2 il is evident
that the Israeltes purchased provisions to
some extent from the neighboring tribes.
Psalm a. Ia seems TO allude to a supply
of fish, possibly from the Gulf of Akabah,
where the people were encamped at one
time (Num. 80: 3d. and possibly for many
years Of their desert life. The vegetation
of the wilderness contributed farther to
the sustenance of the wanderers. BY their
training III Egypt they had learned the art of
irrigation. And yet with all these aids the
resources were not sufficient for the necessi-
ties OF the multitude; and, therefore, the sa-
cred writer states repeatedly and plainly that
the deficiency was supplied by miracle.
Those by which the nation was delivered
from thirst and hunger were probably very
frequent the few recorded in the Scriptures
having been mentioned "a specimens of
miracles which were constantly occurring.
Stand Feel Comm)
sEED-TRUTHs AND GERM THOUGHTS
/. Gods gracious remedy for murmuring
w. A.
2, How easily and bountifully God can sup
ply the needs OF his people ". ~.
3. All the blessings should be carefully and
reverently received ". A.
4. Helpful proyidences to Sabbath observ-
ance ". 81.
B. God always has a Moses and Aaron TO
whom he reveals his purposes w. 6)
Il The power and influence of even one or
two stalwart spirits ". o.
Z. Mighty faith asserting itself amid the
gross and prevailing unbelief w. ~
s. Complaints against Gods people are COM
plants against him ". s.
q Ii is great deal easier to murmur than
to pray; but it is a great deal better TO pray
than to murmur
10 God gives unmstakable proofs of his
deliverance and protection ". u.
IL. ~God's method with his people is first
BILE sing, then proof"
IL. God bears long with mans infidelity and
ingratitude, but day of settlement comes at
last
Subject Of lesson for June ~, SThe Com
mandmeutsn TX 10. Ill